Rawalpindi: Land mafia’s attempt to occupy Chinar Park foiled

[Naveed Yaseen]

RAWALPINDI: The residents of F-Block, Satellite Town, supported by members of Punjab Assembly foiled an attempt of land mafia to grab a 50-year-old public park and convert it into residential plots.

The residents were shocked when the land mafia’s men suddenly entered the seven-kanal Chinar Park Saturday evening along with some policemen and erected a tent to occupy the park.

The mafia’s men immediately forced the children to get out of the park’s premises and snatched their bats threatening them with dire consequences if they ever came back, the frightened children told journalists.

Eye-witnesses said police accompanied the land mafia and arrested a local resident, who resisted the illegal occupation of the park having a large number of rare and fully grown Chinar trees.

PML-N MPAS Ziaullah Shah and Sheheryar Riaz, immediately reached the scene and said PML-N would not allow the land mafia to occupy any public property and convert it into residential area.

They assured the residents that the incident would be brought to the knowledge of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

They said the CM had issued special instructions for checking land mafias’ activities in the province.

Shah said the park was helping in the healthy development of the youth.

The MPAs also took a round of the park and saw demolished boundary walls uprooted benches, light poles, cradles and swings.

They said the mafia was misinterpreting the court’s decision because the court had granted them a piece of land in compensation elsewhere. “Chinar Park does not fall under that Khasra number,” he stressed. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg11_6